Matt Lucas has publicly apologised to Millie Bobby Brown after the actress called him out by name in a powerful video addressing the “bullying” she faces as a woman in the public sphere.

In a statement addressed to Brown, Lucas clarified his previous comments, which Brown labelled an “insult” and questioned “why a grown man is mocking a young woman’s appearance” in her own message.

“Dear Millie, I just saw your post and wanted to respond, and provide some context,” Lucas, 50, wrote to his 399,000 Instagram followers.

Watch the video above.

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“Nearly 25 years ago, I co-wrote and appeared in a sketch show called Little Britain,” he explained.

“There was a character in it called Vicky Pollard, who had blonde hair and always wore a pink top, and in the photo you had blonde hair and wore a pink top so I pointed out the similarity by posting one of her catchphrases.

Lucas continued: “I thought you looked terrific and I was mortified when the press wrote that I ‘slammed’ you, firstly because that’s not my style, and secondly because I think you’re brilliant.”

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“I would not have posted it if I had thought it would have upset you but I realise it has and for that I apologise. Matt x,” the post concluded.

The comedian’s post came after Brown, 21, called him out by name in a video shared to her 63.3 million Instagram followers.

“‘Little Britain’s Matt Lucas takes savage swipe at Millie Bobby Brown’s new ‘mommy makeover’ look’ – written by Bethan Edwards, amplifying an insult rather than questioning why a grown man is mocking a young woman’s appearance. This isn’t journalism. This is bullying,” she wrote and read out in a video message on Tuesday.

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“The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, it’s disturbing,” the actress, who rose to fame as a child star on Stranger Things, continued.

“The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Makes it even worse.”

Brown added: “Disillusioned people can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not their own.”

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“I refuse to apologise for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman,” she said.

“I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself. We have become a society where it’s so much easier to criticise than it is to pay a compliment.”

The star told critics to “do better… for every young girl who deserves to grow up without fear of being torn apart for simply existing.”

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